


Little World of Dreams

by FlameofSwords



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: Dreams, Gen, Self-Esteem Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-18 15:46:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14216475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlameofSwords/pseuds/FlameofSwords
Summary: Within the real world, soccer is just a sport to be played. In one's mind, however, it carries such a different meaning that hardly anyone is able to explain to an outsider. [Portrayed through a series of one shots]





	1. 1. The Sun Has No Friends

**Author's Note:**

> A little idea that came to mind after mulling over a non soccer AU. Soccer still exists but I more want to use it as a way to explore the many self esteem issues everyone has (there's so many...) Hope you enjoy!

Endou Mamoru always wanted to play soccer. That was his one dream - to have a soccer team and be as good as his grandpa.

"I'm not letting both my father and my child die to a sport!"

Naturally, his mother disagreed.

Also naturally, his dad agreed with his mother, despite lack of personal connection as the incident happened before they were married.

But Endou couldn't believe that anyone who played soccer would do such a thing. Or even _want_ to. He had no idea how his grandpa actually died, but he knew soccer wasn't the core reason for it. It was too wholesome of a sport. No one would want to kill just because of that sport.

That's why he started the soccer "appreciation" club at Raimon. Because he wanted a team, and he thought junior high would be the best time to do so.

But no one else joined. And to avoid being disbanded due to a lack of games played, he turned it into a club of people that enjoyed the sport.

A club of one person.

He would've been lonely, if it wasn't for the soccer ball.

-0-0-0-

If Endou was being completely serious, well…

"Come on, I know I can block this shot."

...He might've been the reason the club had no members.

"Ow!" he exclaimed as the ball hit his head as he failed to catch it, it being ricocheted off the wall.

He wanted to be a goalie, and while he knew he would have to dribble, what use was a goalie who couldn't catch a ball? So everyday he practiced this way. At least while he had to be in attendance for the club.

Aki used to hit the ball to him, so it wasn't just based on his strength, but eventually, after his fifth bloody nose from missing shots, she left, saying she didn't want to see another person get hurt because of soccer.

"One more time!"

Seemed like Endou was the only one who refused to be hurt by soccer. Or let it stop him.

Once more he kicked the ball against the aging walls of the club house and anticipated it coming towards him.

Naturally this made a sound as if the clubhouse was going to break. And well, no one wanted to have to pay for that in junior high. And while Endou was fine with it, everyone else was either scared of the building getting destroyed or of Endou himself.

That's why they didn't want to join the club. At all.

"Got it!"

So in the end it was him and his passion for soccer, alone in this club room, doing the same exact thing he could've done at home.

And god, did he wish for another member. A striker maybe. Or just anyone. Anyone who could kick the ball to him and he could block.

He needed a friend aside from his tire and his soccer ball.

-0-0-0-

When he returned home from practice he did his homework and sat himself right at the TV. There was a game going on, and his mom let him see it as long as he finished his homework and did chores over the weekend.

This was the highlight of Endou's day.

Due to the amount of homework he had to do, he only got to catch the second half, but that was fine. It was still an awesome game.

With a notebook in hand he noted everything down. The teams, how they played, everything about them. He took the notes religiously, like his grandpa did for him. Only this was for a full team, and not just tips for goalies.

Once the game was over, he went to bed. And if there really was a supreme being up there, well…

"Please, just let me have a team of friends to play soccer with."

...Every night. Every night until it happened. Then it'll be a thank you wish.

-0-0-0-

"Where am I?"

Not a single person looked familiar to Endou. He was on a bench with people, as he assumed, people with blacked out faces. Not a single person who he could pinpoint, because despite having different heights they had the same body build and haircut. It was the same person over and over again.

Who he could assume was the coach was standing in front of them, saying words he didn't understand. Nothing made sense, everything was drowned out.

_Who is he talking too? Am I supposed to be here?_ Endou wondered. He tried looking over the coach's shoulder, and he saw something that made him squee. And no one noticed, or cared.

"Endou, I trust that you'll protect our goal," the normal height blob said after the coach finished speaking.

He slapped himself, to make sure, but as he was doing that he realized something. He had a captain's band. He was wearing the goalie's uniform. Another squee came out.

Whether or not this was a dream, he didn't care. He was playing a game.

Endou was playing a game!

He took his spot in front of the goal, as his entire team looked at him. He was the captain, they were awaiting orders.

"Let's do our best and have fun!"

The other team came on, and they were blobs as well, but different enough that Endou could recognize his team.

"Start!"

The kickoff happened, and his team held possession of the ball. The entire time Endou shouted out helpful hints, or words of encouragement if they had failed.

The game was heated. It was close. It was everything he wanted.

He caught the shots, he caught almost all of them.

And then, the opposing team spun in the air, to impossible heights, creating a ring of fire around them and the ball. And then they hit the ball towards him, and it was impossible to catch. So it knocked him into the goal, and his entire team came up to him to make sure he was okay.

That entire shot was impossible, and yet it decided the game and it was never called out.

It made no sense. But Endou liked it. His dream was interesting, it seemed. More interesting than real life soccer.

And that was something he wasn't sure anything could top.

-0-0-0-

After awhile, Endou learned it wasn't a dream. Well it was, because he still got rest and such.

"Don't mind don't mind!" he said as a team member looked at him apologetically as they had missed a goal.

He tried his hardest, so I'm fine with it. We can get it next time.

But his physical health that day affected how or if he played. If he had a cold, he would be benched. If he was sore after his practice, he was still sore.

Any practice he had carried over, and all his memories carried over.

It was real life, with added impossibilities. And soon his team learned moves like the other's, and he found it so awesome! His team was evolving right in front of his eyes, he could see it! It was the best thing ever. It was what he always wanted…

"Nice shot!" He was right, they totally got it next time.

… He just wished he could get to know everyone personally.

Other than that, this world was awesome.

-0-0-0-

With a new sense of drive, Endou decided it would be better to study other teams than to just remain playing by himself. He was on a team now, so seeing how the others do it would be completely helpful to him.

Of course he was still going to practice, but he needed to know how other sports that were team oriented worked. Which then scratched off the track and tennis team, since they weren't exactly what he wanted.

So he first started watching the baseball team. He watched their practices, but never interacted with any of the members. Instead he just jotted down notes in his notebook. It of course completely new notebook, but still, one of his studying notebooks nonetheless.

He kept this up, writing various notes about how the captain treated his teammates and how the teammates treated him (although Endou assumed that in his world, he had the perfect team, so he was the one who had to improve), until someone pointed him out.

"Hey, isn't that the freak from the soccer appreciation club?"

"Oh yeah it is, what's he doing here?"

The captain came up to Endou.

"Do you want to join the baseball club?" he asked, completely sincere. There were snickers from the rest of the team.

"Hey! We don't turn down new members!" he said to his teammates, who immediately shut up. He then turned once again to Endou, noting the notebook and asking if he could see it.

"Uh, no, sorry." A) his handwriting was completely illegible "I was just curious to see how a team practice would work." B) he wasn't interested in baseball. "You see, I'm the only member of my soccer club and you don't really see practices on the TV so uh, yeah…" C) that was what was in his notebook anyways. And this was the first time in awhile he actually got flustered. "But if any of you would join the soccer appreciation club I would enjoy it immensely!"

And for the first time in awhile, he actually ran away. The baseball team was officially off his list, now it was the basketball team.

So the next day, after yet another game in his wonderful dream world, he stalked the basketball team. Until the same thing happened again. So then it was the volleyball team. Then lacrosse. Then he ran out of team sports. So he checked out the tennis team, because that was more of a team sport than track.

To be perfectly honest, actually, Endou didn't think there was much to gain from the track team.

But the tennis team also pointed him out, so there went his cover.

So it was either track or give up.

And he chose to give up.

-0-0-0-

He actually had a practice session.

He actually had a practice session.

He actually - well, we'll spare you the repetition.

Needless to say, Endou was over the roof. Over the moon. This is what he always wanted. Friends he could practice with.

"So Endou, what are we doing today?" one of the blobs asked.

"First we warm-up! A lap around the field!" Endou replied, his enthusiasm for practice only matched by how perfectly these blobs followed orders. They all ran a lap, and all begged to do another. Once their two laps were over Endou had them stretch Then he got to the fun parts, although these blobs honestly thought everything was fun.

So in order to train both him and them at once, he had shot practice. That lasted for fifteen minutes or so until two members came up to him.

"Hey Endou, look what we can do!"

And they copied the move Endou thought was completely impossible at first.

They spun into the air at an absurd height, creating a beautiful ring of fire around them and the ball. And when they kicked it down, it headed perfectly for Endou, scorching the earth in its path, and completely catching Endou off guard.

Needless to say,

"That was amazing! I'm so proud of you guys!"

Endou was proud.

The rest of the practice was the other members showing Endou their impossible moves.

-0-0-0-

There was a knock on the club room door.

Endou immediately threw open the door to the room, giving a wonderfully loud "welcome!" to the blue haired kid who was right in front of the door.

"I'm not joining the club," he said, "I just came here on account of being a member of the track team."

Endou frowned. "Are you sure you don't want to join the soccer appreciation club? I could totally use another member!"

"Uh, no that's fine, I already have track to deal with -"

"Then at least tell me your name! You're the first person in awhile that's approached me!"

"It's Kazemaru, but -"

Endou immediately took his hand and shook it extremely hard.

"I told you, I'm not joining your club."

"Come on, you came all the way here, might as well get to know each other!"

"I came here for a purpose and if you would let me speak!"

"Oh, sorry," Endou said, backing off of Kazemaru, no longer being uncomfortably close to him.

Kazemaru cleared his voice before speaking. "So I came here to know whether or not you are that kid that's been checking out the various different sports teams."

"I am."

"So why not the track team?"

"Because track doesn't seem that team oriented."

"Wh-what do you mean track isn't team oriented?" Kazemaru stuttered. Flustered? Endou couldn't tell why, he thought that was obvious, and he was told he could be an idiot at time.

"I wanted to see how a team practiced, but running laps doesn't seem very team oriented to me."

"Neither does a club of one," Kazemaru said, barely audible.

"Well, that's why I checked out the practices of the other teams. So my dreams could be more accurate."

"Dreams?"

But he asked in that tone that was more mocking than curious. Endou didn't pick that up at all though.

"Yeah! I dream about playing soccer! It's really fun, although kinda lonely. Hence why it would be amazing if you joined the club! Only on Mondays if track is really that important to you!"

"You're insane." And with that he left.

-0-0-0-

Today was yet another game day, which was fine by Endou. Yesterday was an awesome practice session.

But there was something different. Someone he could recognize? But barely, so he just focused on playing.

And he almost made a huge hand. He just failed at maintaining it. So that was the second game they lost. But his team was surprisingly fine with it.

To be honest, aside from not being able to understand anything they don't address to him, they were the perfect team.

He just wanted to know who that person he recognized was. Because that was the first time someone had a hairstyle that wasn't the standard hairstyle of this world.

-0-0-0-

Even in the morning not knowing who that non-blob was still bothered Endou. He didn't get a good look at their hairstyle so he couldn't hunt them down.

But something he was curious about was the track team. Kazemaru tried to defend it being a team sport, so he decided why not visit and see which one of them was right.

So after school Endou was going to visit the track team. And he wasn't going to mull over the nature of that hand move he almost perfected.

(Lies, he did so in class. Just not after school. Because after school he had to do something important. Like see if Kazemaru was right.)

It never hit him that Kazemaru was the only person he told about his dream world.

-0-0-0-

Once school ended, Endou headed for the track field and picked a safe enough distance away that no one would be able to notice him but he could still see the practice. Only he didn't have his notebook on him, because he was sure he wouldn't gain anything useful out of it.

And he was right, it was stretching and running. Barely a team sport if you asked him.

He almost left to go do some more practicing on the tire, but Kazemaru caught him just in time.

"So you see, track is team oriented!"

Endou really was lost for words.

"So now you see why I can't join your club. My team needs me!"

"But all you do is run?"

"Yes but I'm one of the best!"

He didn't see how important that was.

"The team constantly tells me it'll fall apart if I leave! I have to stay. I'm important." And his speech patterns became more frantic. Like he was trying to prove something that Endou couldn't pick up on.

Endou knew something was wrong, but he couldn't tell why.

"Well that's great you're needed! Sorry, but track doesn't seem like a team oriented sport to me. But good luck, running is tough!"

"But it is!" And that's the last Endou heard of Kazemaru for that day.

-0-0-0-

Two things about his dream: he failed at that hand move again and the new person had blue hair.

The only blue hair person he talked to was Kazemaru. But he couldn't prove if it was him because the dream ended too soon for him to do anything about it.

So he would have to wait until next time.

In the meantime, he decided practicing on the tire swing was a good idea. He couldn't exactly do that hand move, but he could get the general idea of it down.

Like how it somehow involved one hand. So he practiced catching the tire single handedly, repeatedly until he could feel that he was getting good at it.

He didn't see Kazemaru at all in the real world.

In the dream world? Endou thought he saw him, but once again the dream ended far too soon for him to know, and it bothered him. Was it his alarm? School? Well if so today was Friday, he had two days off. If he wanted to he could have time to find out who this kid really was. And if he was a friend, then maybe recruit him?

Because getting an actual friend in this world was more of a priority than mastering that new move of his.

-0-0-0-

Before going to the tire swing Endou just so happened to pass by the track team and he noticed that Kazemaru, their star player, was lagging behind before he fell down as if he couldn't keep up with the speed.

Endou wrote that off as just an off day, and not anything serious.

Because the dream world never caused him fatigue.

So he just headed towards his tire swing without stopping to say hi to Kazemaru in the middle of practice. After all, he managed to pick himself up, and Endou was content with that.

He spent longer at the tire swing today, although most of it was aimless hitting and catching, musing about his own little world instead of trying to perfect that move.

Like why now? Why now instead of when he was younger? And why wasn't there anyone he recognized? Or just… different people? Why couldn't he understand anything? And why was the impossible possible?

Granted, it was a dream so that last one actually does make sense, but it was his dream to play soccer, so why tease him with fancy moves that were in actuality impossible?

"Ow…" Nothing like a tire to one's face to tell you to wake up.

"This is getting me nowhere, I should just get going."

So he headed home and did his daily routine. Then he went to bed, hoping that he could see Kazemaru or whoever that was. He was dying to know who that was. And now he would have the time to sleep in if that was what was giving him problems.

-0-0-0-

Two important things: God Hand and Kazemaru.

It was game day, and the opposing team did a new move involving wind. They knocked Endou's defenders down like they were nothing, and then the ball moved straight towards the goal.

Ready, Endou bent down with his left hand out in front, and immediately he could see an orange hand right in front of him, catching the ball for him, and once it faded the ball was in his hand, perfectly.

Then the game ended and Endou immediately headed to the back of his station, and his team was fine with that.

And he saw him. Kazemaru.

"Hiya!"

"Where is this?"

"Dream world! My dream world of soccer!"

"I thought you were joking."

"Nope, I was serious!" Endou paused. Would Kazemaru join now? Well, it was worth asking. "Do you want to join my team? It's kinda lonely with just teammates I can't talk to."

"I'm sorry, but what was your name?"

Oh thank god. "Endou! Endou Mamoru!"

"Well then Endou." He extended out a hand. "I guess I'll see you Monday at the club for a more formal invite."

The dream ended and Endou woke up with a smile.

-0-0-0-

Monday afternoon Kazemaru showed up at the club door.

"Welcome to the soccer 'appreciation' club, Kazemaru!"


	2. Two in a Club

"Give me a position that requires the most running!" Kazemaru said rather stiffly.

It was Monday and instead of heading towards track practice, he was standing outside the door of Endou's soccer "appreciation" club after their rather strange meeting two days ago.

And to be perfectly honest, he didn't know how to describe it.

"You don't have to be so formal." Endou laughed. Kazemaru responded with a nervous laugh.

They've met before but circumstances were different. Never as friends, or club members. Just as a track team member and a boy who watches the various different clubs.

Just as a boy who's barely seen a game of soccer in his life and a boy who plays it every night in his dreams.

He really didn't know how to think of that meet up.

"So, midfielder then? You're in charge of bringing the ball back and forth and bringing it to the forwards so they can shoot. Of course that doesn't mean you can't make a shot."

"That sounds fine, thank you."

"Like I said, no need to be formal."

"Right, thanks."

-0-0-0-

When he went home that day, he wasn't entire sure what to do. He's been to Endou's world before via sleep, because that's how he did it the first time. And the other two times after that.

But now he's been formally invited to the world? How did that work?

And to be honest, Kazemaru never experienced these types of dreams. Sure he had the occasional dream before a big track meet about him running (and failing), but he never vividly remembered those dreams as if the were actual events. And certainly another person couldn't either. He was never able to control his actions fully as if he was really there.

And to be honest, everyone around him in those dreams were people he knew, not blobs of the same person.

So Kazemaru made mental note to ask Endou about his experiences in this world. Because he just, quite frankly, couldn't understand.

But he was visiting Endou's world tonight. And there might be a game. Like there always was. And he never played soccer. He could run, but Endou was right - track isn't that much of a team sport, not like soccer.

Not like soccer at all.

Regardless he went to bed, and all he could think about was joining Endou's world, hoping that was enough.

After all, that's exactly what he did last time.

And the times before then.

-0-0-0-

The next afternoon Endou was sitting in the club room, pleased with the game he had last night. He actually finally understood someone. And that someone was Kazemaru.

And he was happy.

(Granted, it didn't take much to make him happy.)

So he waited until Kazemaru opened the door, closed it, and took a seat on the floor, a reasonable distance away from Endou.

"Nice job!" Endou said, moving closer for a high five. Kazemaru returned it, smiling in the process. They were a team. Club members. Friends. And Endou wasn't lonely anymore, he had someone else.

And he was very tempted to call Kino over and show her. Because soccer wasn't a sport she should be worried about.

And Endou would've felt content with the meeting just ending in a high five and another game, but two things: he wanted to get to know Kazemaru better and…

"How long have you been in that world?"

...Kazemaru started asking questions.

"Um," he scrunched up his face "about a week? Fairly recently I know."

"Really?"

There were totally more questions coming after this.

Essentially they all boiled down to the core of what the dream world was, and if all they did was play soccer matches. If they had practices, if Endou knew anyone there, if they could communicate with them, what's with all the fire (techniques dubbed hisatssu, or certain kill), questions like that. And ninety percent of them Endou was able to answer simply, but then came this question.

"So how come I don't have my own dream world?"

That was something Endou couldn't answer at all.

But thankfully...

"And why don't we make this club a safe haven for those with these dreams?"

He liked that question.

He just wished there was more people he could invite to this club.

And if he could just simply answer Kazemaru's question.

But he just wanted some more people in the club in general.

0-0-0-

Hold up. Future Endou? Yeah let's go with that.

Future Endou writing here, yes this is a log sort of?

Or this could be Future Kazemaru working this out… let's drop the "future" idea. It sounded cool though.

It's me here. And of course, Endou couldn't properly deal with Kazemaru's question. Which is fine, the dream world is complicated. It makes sense for it to fly over his head.

Heck it flew over my head.

(I'm not a fan of this use of "my…")

But we're not letting you readers go in the dark.

Endou's dream world is essentially a world where his dreams come true. Why it took so long to get to him? Because he didn't need it. Yet. 

Seriously, that's the best excuse we got.

But to answer Kazemaru's question, the main "why don't I have my own dream world" well, we can't. Properly. Because he probably doesn't want to visit it at all. Is he afraid of it? Or is it just filled with nightmares? We don't know. Not at all. 

But everyone has their own dream world. And like Endou's, it's a world that represents their desires. Or fears. Whichever.

A wonderful world that others can visit if they so allow it. Or don't allow it. There's no true science to this world. It's just dreams.

Real dreams Endou happened to unlock.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

-0-0-0-

So for the next two weeks Endou and Kazemaru tried to recruit members for the club, and failed. But it was fine.

Other than that they just enjoyed each other's company. Endou showed Kazemaru the tire swing, and Kazemaru practiced kicking it for an idea for his own hissatsu technique - because he saw the others do it and he wanted to try.

Because he saw Endou do it and he didn't want to fall behind.

"Something wind related!" Endou said when Kazemaru was mulling over it. But Kazemaru simply shrugged it off and went back to kicking the tire. It would be funny if he was the wind, but he didn't want to be the wind.

Unless being the wind meant being useful to Endou, then he would totally be the wind.

Regardless they hung out every day and night, and became such best friends that recruiting new members didn't matter. Hence the two weeks.

After that they decided the dream world should be their own little secret.


End file.
